Extraordinary Women: 5 Filipinas You Should Know
The inclusivity in Young Pilipinas that women experience today would not be possible if not for some Filipinas who excelled in their respective fields. Who are they?
1. Pura Villanueva-Kalaw
Our first beauty queen started the Philippines' first suffragette movement led purely by women. Pura Villanueva Kalaw is a 22-year-old Ilongga who was crowned as “Queen of the Orient” in the first-ever Manila Carnival in 1908 which eventually became Miss Philippines.
Kalaw did not just flaunt her beauty because two years before she was crowned as Carnival Queen, she organized the Asociacion Feminista Ilongga, whose belief was "What a man can do, a woman can do as well." The group aimed for women to have the right to vote which was later achieved in 1937. Thanks to Kalaw and her team, Filipinas can now participate in Philippine elections and even to any kind of voting.
2. Paz Márquez-Benítez
The first generation of Filipino writers in English was trained by a Filipina — Paz Marquez- Benitez. She wrote Dead Stars in 1925, the first short story in the country written in English. The story revolves around the character of Alfredo Salazar and his love story. This literary work also gives readers a point of view of what courtship and marriage looked like in the 1900s.
Benitez taught at the University of the Philippines in the English department from 1916 to 1951.
3. Aimee Carandang
Want to fly high? Aimee Carandang literally made it possible as the first Filipina commercial pilot. On July 6, 1993, she led the flight from Manila to Baguio City as full-pledge captain of Philippine Airlines. Later, she established Kabisig ng Kalahi Foundation in 2002 to help in fighting the malnutrition of children in the Philippines.
4. Anastacia Giron- Tupas
In terms of healthcare, Anastacia Giron- Tupas made a remarkable impact as the first Filipina nurse to become Chief Nurse Superintendent of the Philippine General. Tupas also trained under the guidance of Jane Delano, founder of the American Red Cross since she strongly believes that nursing will make an impact on the general welfare of Filipino people. She also headed a committee that led to the passing of the Philippine nursing education bill in 1919.
5. Angelina Castro-Kelly
Our fellow Filipino also made a mark outside the world. Dr. Angelina Castro-Kelly is the first woman to become the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Mission Operations Manager for the Earth Observing System (EOS) project in 1990. She was the brain behind the completion of the mission during its developmental stage.
She is a Manileño and graduated summa cum laude in 1962 with a degree in Mathematics and Physics at the University of Santo Tomas.
These iconic Filipinas are just some of the many lives that poured their hearts to pave way for the next generation of Young Pinays. You can also make a difference with your own strength, intelligence, and beauty for a better future of Young Pilipinas.
...
Photo credits:
Photo Credit: Everyday History Facebook
Photo: The Journal of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era
Photo: Photo: Rodolfo Tupas / Facebook
https://web.facebook.com/bong.tupas
Photo: Gaby Gloria / Facebook
コメント